1 . Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile terminal and, in particular, to a mobile terminal and a sound pressure control method for the same wherein sound pressure levels of an audio material are adjusted using sound saturation sensing according to characteristics of the mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Given the advances in communication technologies, a user in motion can readily carry a mobile terminal and transmit as well as receive phone calls at most times and places. In addition to conventional phone call processing, advanced mobile terminals, including mobile communication terminals, notebooks, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and portable multimedia players, support various functions such as text message and image transmission, Motion Pictures Experts Group-1 (MPEG-1) audio layer 3 (MP3) file playing, ring tone and ring back tone personalization, and gaming.
A mobile terminal includes regular audio materials such as ring tones and melodies, which are suitably customized to factors such as resonance properties of the mobile terminal, the maximum output sound pressure level or stress producible by an embedded speaker. However, externally sourced audio materials such as MP3 files, ring tones and ring back tones that are downloaded from external providers may be not optimized for the mobile terminal, and are reproduced at a preset gain.
When the maximum sound pressure level of an externally sourced audio material to be replayed is lower than that of the mobile terminal, sound pressure levels of the speaker are low even at the maximum volume level. When the maximum sound pressure level of an externally sourced audio material is higher than that of the mobile terminal, raising volume levels may cause sound distortion due to sound saturation. An extended period of reproduction at a volume level exceeding the maximum volume level overloads the speaker, and may cause permanent damage to the speaker.
Further, uniform reproduction of externally sourced audio materials at a preset gain may limit enhancement of signal-to-noise characteristics of the individual externally sourced audio materials.